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Mohammed Shami, Irfan Pathan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav explain importance of use of saliva on ball

The bowlers are already facing the brunt of batsmen friendly rules in the game of cricket and such a move is only going to make their job harder. With new rules in place, they said, that the ball won't cut the air as effectively.

Mohammed Shami, Irfan Pathan, Yuzvendra Chahal, Kuldeep Yadav explain importance of use of saliva on ball

New Delhi, June 15: The ICC's decision to temporarily ban the use of saliva for shining the cricket ball might be valid from the safety point of view but the move certainly makes a bowler's job much harder.

The bowlers won't be able to shine the ball as there is no provision of using an outside substance will render both pacers as well as spinners toothless. The bowlers are already facing the brunt of batsmen friendly rules in the game of cricket and such a move is only going to make their job harder. With new rules in place, they said, that the ball won't cut the air as effectively now as it did before.

Saliva ban favouring batsmen is bloody storm in a teacup: ChappellSaliva ban favouring batsmen is bloody storm in a teacup: Chappell

While interacting on India Today's show Salaam Cricket, India pacers and spinners put forth their views and explained the importance of shining the ball.

Here's who said what?

Mohammed Shami: We use sweat to make the ball heavier and softer but reverse swing needs saliva, it keeps the ball harder, shinier and the ball reverses also. Now the challenge will be not to use our saliva which will be our biggest challenge.

Irfan Pathan: We need to understand how much impact this will have on the game. The ball won't cut the air as much now, sweat is not as effective as saliva especially when it comes to reverse swing. This will have a bigger impact in Test cricket and it is now the ICC's responsibility to make the pitches livelier now, make it friendly for the bowlers, either turning tracks or something. Not make it flat for the batsmen for a while.

Yuvendra Chahal: Bowlers will be at a disadvantage because we get a drift in the middle overs that we get by shining the ball using our saliva. If we don't get that then it will be a problem. As a spinner, if we don't get a drift we won't be as effective. We need a solution to this problem.

Kuldeep Yadav: The ball won't drift at all, beating the batsman in the air won't be possible. White-ball cricket is still okay but it will be very difficult in red-ball cricket.

Story first published: Monday, June 15, 2020, 16:42 [IST]
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